Within less than a month, the concentration of carbon tet fell from 2000 parts per billion (ppb) to 30 ppb and below maximum concentration limits after that. Measurements taken at Centralia before and after the injection of a commercial product containing the specially coated iron microparticles showed a drastic reduction in the amount of carbon tetrachloride present in the soil. “Feeding the bacteria creates the conditions necessary for the whole process to work.” “The only way to prevent the buildup of chloroform was to find a way to remove the oxygen and produce the optimum environment for the right reactions to occur,” Alvarado explained. This process, according to Alvarado, touches off a chain of other chemical reactions that result in the transformation of most of the carbon tetrachloride into another toxic compound, chloroform, which is an even greater hazard in drinking water. At first glance, the mechanisms appeared to be very simple, but more detailed observations revealed additional complex pathways and products that could result from transformation of carbon tet. In prior work, scientists using uncoated iron nanoparticles had been able to break some of the carbon tetrachloride bonds. To clean up the Centralia site, the Argonne group needed to find a way to break those bonds and chemically strip the individual chlorine atoms - which would then ideally become relatively harmless chloride ions - from the carbon at the center of the molecule. In its molecular form, carbon tetrachloride consists of a central carbon atom bonded to four chlorine atoms. “The only sources of groundwater in these areas of the country are shallow aquifers, which are much more prone to this kind of contamination,” Alvarado said. In certain areas of high agricultural use, carbon tet leached from the soil into the water table, where large quantities have remained for decades. ![]() “It’s a hard case because the bonding within the compound is so strong.”Įven though the federal government banned the use of carbon tetrachloride as a grain fumigant in 1985, a good deal of damage was already done. “Carbon tetrachloride was a real challenge to us because its chemical structure is extremely stable,” said team member and Argonne environmental scientist Jorge Alvarado. However, scientific studies showed that exposure to carbon tet resulted in liver, kidney, and central nervous system degeneration as well as increased rates of cancer. It worked as a powerful cleaning agent and as a refrigerant, and in the Midwest it was used as a pesticide to protect stored grain. The researchers coated the microparticles with organic material, which served as bait for bacteria that created the conditions necessary to safely convert the toxic chemical into non-hazardous substances.īack in the 1960s, carbon tetrachloride - or “carbon tet,” as it is more commonly known - was widely thought to be a miracle chemical. ![]() ![]() Last year, a team of Argonne scientists led by Lorraine LaFreniere injected iron microparticles underneath fields long-polluted with carbon tetrachloride near Centralia, Kansas. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has demonstrated a way to enlist bacteria in the fight to cleanse some of the country’s most intractably polluted locations. If you happen to be in the town of Ness City, we’ve got the perfect place to stay that will tie in with the region’s farming history.However, a new study conducted by environmental scientists at the U.S. ![]() If you’re looking for the perfect rural getaway to escape the doldrums of city life, western Kansas is a great place to go. This region is the flat land that people often think of when they think of Kansas, with mostly small, rural towns dotting the prairies, and a few slightly larger cities here and there. While we have developed greatly over the years and now boast several larger cities, like Kansas City and Topeka, there’s still a lot of rural land here, especially in the western part of the state. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.įor centuries, Kansas has been closely associated with agriculture. As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip.
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